My Z News

Katrina Lazzarotto is not a professional figure skater, but like most residents of Vancouver, Canada, she knows how to get around on a pair of skates. However, when her friend, helicopter pilot Bradley Friesen, approached her with a unique and elaborate offer, it had been four years since she’d last been on the ice. Friesen’s idea was to fly 5,000 feet into the Rocky Mountains and drop Lazzarotto off at a frozen alpine lake. With seven GoPros attached to his helicopter, he would fly above, capturing one-of-a-kind shots of his friend. Of course, Lazzarotto said “yes.” After all, unless you are the ice queen Elsa, it’s not every day that you get to be a part of a stunning scene like this! Surrounded by breath-taking views and snow-capped mountains, Lazzarotto spins and twirls on the ice, an experience that she says was the most “exhilarating and liberating moment” of her life. For anyone who loves skating, get prepared to add this to your bucket list. The clip was shot at Golden Ears Provincial Park, located in British Columbia, Canada. Renowned for its beauty, the park has been used as a set location for several popular movies, including First Blood and many of the forest scenes in the Twilight films. Friesen himself has been filming in the park for the last year, capturing aerial views of mountain biking, hockey, and other sports from his helicopter. While he has some really interesting videos on his YouTube channel, we’re guessing this will be the one to really go viral. It’s something I’ll definitely be watching over and over again. H/T: Bradley Friesen Read more: http://www.wimp.com/figure-skating-on-mountain-katrina-lazzarotto/

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When we visit the zoo, we have a pretty good idea of what we’re going to see. The lions will lay out in the sun, the otters will splash around and the snakes … well, they’ll do whatever it is that they do. Gorillas, on the other hand, are some of the most fascinating animals to observe. They share 95 percent of their DNA with humans, are incredibly social and have recently started walking on two legs.  If that last detail puzzled you, that’s because the ability to walk on two legs is rare amongst gorillas, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t happen. Back in 2010, a gorilla at Port Lympne Wildlife Park named Ambam began walking like a human. When you watch this video, you’ll understand why guests were so impressed with how comfortable and casual he looks. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/gorilla-walks-like-human-amba/

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Video mapping is the art of projecting film footage onto irregularly shaped objects to create brilliant effects. Disney famously introduced millions to the concept on their original Haunted Mansion ride, but in the decades since that ride’s debut the technology has grown exponentially. At its best, the art form allows technicians to create augmented realities that rival anything you’d see on the silver screen, and this projection from Germany’s Palace of Karlsruhe is as good as it gets. For 15 minutes, the palace morphs into swirling balls of energy, science fiction steampunk automatons, blasting Tesla Coil, pillars of fire, and beyond. Set to a beautiful musical score this projection program is a breathtaking example of how projection mapping can turn buildings into morphing art spaces. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/projection-mapping-palace-light-show/

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Public speaking. If we are honest, those two words strike fear into most of us. Never mind a public performance of a difficult piano piece! Not so for a 9-year-old virtuoso in London’s Canary Wharf metro station! British artist Luke Jerram installed this one-of-many “street pianos” in this busy metro area. The goal of this art movement is to allow the public to, “engage with, activate, and take ownership of their urban environment.” In other words, Jerram hopes his pianos, which are hosted and decorated by artists in communities around the world, will add beauty to the lives of those waiting for trains, buses, or just shopping in local markets. Here we are treated to a mini maestro who takes full advantage of this ideal. Meet Asta Dora Finnsdottir, a 9-year-old little girl on vacation from Finland with her family. From the moment she begins to play, she draws a crowd. Her passion and focus are rare in one so young, yet they are infectious, as evidenced by the reaction of the crowd. Even those passing by nod their approval of her beautiful playing. It is as if she is teaching us all a lesson for life: Do what you love, and the world is better for it! At first glance you would expect this small girl to pick out something simple, perhaps even childish. Asta stuns her admirers with a precise rendition of Mozart’s “The Turkish March.” Several people stop and wait to witness the entire piece, and then stay to congratulate our young pianist. Once again, we are taught by a child, as she offers up only a humble smile for all her hard work. May we all learn to love what we do, and share it with such simple, well-meaning humility. Bravo Asta! Be sure to SHARE this beautiful performance with your friends! H/T: feyoneteoh Read more: http://www.wimp.com/little-girl-plays-piano-in-metro-station/

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Are you a good liar? Setting aside the moral question of if there’s such a thing as a “good liar,” let us refocus on the question. Are you good at lying? Before today, we only knew of one way to tell if someone is good at lying, namely watching them lie and get away with it. However, one scientist says he’s figured out a way of telling if someone is a good liar without having them lie. While this test might seem ridiculous it does have a basis in science. The test is based off a study by R.G. Hass published in 1984 called “Perspective-Taking And Self-Awareness: Drawing An E On Your Forehead.” The test only takes seconds to conduct, but might give you a new perspective on how you see yourself. So take the test and let us know if you’re a good liar. We can trust you, right? Read more: http://www.wimp.com/are-you-a-good-liar/

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Trains don’t usually get snow days. It takes a pretty significant meteorological event to slow down a vehicle wielding the kinds of kinetic forces that a train can. This video, put together by New Zealand railfans, demonstrates what happens when an ordinary Kiwirail engine runs headlong into massive, powdery snowdrifts. The results are pretty beautiful to watch. Next time you’re out shoveling a few inches off the driveway, think about the sheer muscle these iron horses are putting into the same job. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/train-plowing-through-snow-arthurs-pass/

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A great team, whether it’s athletic, academic or corporate, requires many different types of people to come together in pursuit of a common goal. Every individual involved must learn to set aside their differences and become part of a single unit that succeeds, or fails, together. While this high school football team is made up of players from different walks of life, every member has one thing in common that united them before they ever set foot on the field: they’re all deaf.  E:60, ESPN’s weekly investigative journalism program, profiled the Eagles from Freemont, California’s School for the Deaf during their 2014 season. Their story highlights how both our similarities and our differences can unite us as a team, making us stronger individuals in the process. The Eagles are currently 3-3 in the 2015 season. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/deaf-football-team-california-espn/

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In most bands, the drummer gets the short end of the stick (no pun intended!) when it comes to recognition. While certain percussionists do rise to fame, for every Dave Grohl, Neil Peart, Tony Williams, or Ringo Starr, there are about 400 million talented drummers languishing in obscurity. Keeping time for a band isn’t necessarily the coolest gig in the world from the public’s eyes, no matter how awesome those riffs are. But what happens when the entire band is drummers? Well, that’s a different story. The drummers comprising the Top Secret Drum Corps are some of the best that Basel, Switzerland has to offer. And Basel, Switzerland has a lot of drummers to offer. While 400 million might have been a slight exaggeration, what isn’t an exaggeration is that Basel, Switzerland is home to thousands of active drummers. It’s a fundamental part of the culture and tradition of the city. Their equivalent of Mardi Gras features hundreds of drummers and fifers, marching down the street in creepy masks, with beautiful, painted lanterns on their heads. Drumming is a big deal there. Top Secret Drum Corps takes it to a different level, however. They were one of the first non-military martial drumming corps to be invited to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo festival and have been showstopping mainstays ever since. Bringing a sense of theatrics and light-hearted drama to the genre, these intensely practiced musicians are a sight to behold, even without the fire and explosions they incorporate into their performances. H/T: The Basel Tattoo Read more: http://www.wimp.com/top-secret-drum-corps-edinburgh/

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David Byrne is one of the most important figures in modern rock and roll history. With his band the Talking Heads, he revolutionized dance music and punk in the ‘70s and ‘80s. His work with St. Vincent and on his solo records have kept people moving. In 2008 he had a new goal, to make the biggest instrument he could, so he started a project called “Playing The Building.” In this musical installation, Byrne used the basic infrastructure of an abandoned building to create a massive woodwind/percussion instrument. The result delighted families and people of all ages. You might have missed the installation but, thanks to the magic of video, you can relive the music. Enjoy, and keep on dancing.  Read more: http://www.wimp.com/david-bryne-rigged-a-building-to-play-like-an-instrument/

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How would you respond if you were out enjoying a day on the water, and a sea lion jumped on the back of your Seadoo? If the sea lion was as friendly as the one this gentleman encountered, you’d probably be alright with it. He’s not interested in food, or trying to push his new friend off the vehicle; this friendly little sea lion just wants to snuggle with his new friend. Enjoy this look at the birth of a beautiful new friendship. Read more: http://www.wimp.com/friendly-sea-lion/

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